Polish auto suppliers eye defense diversification

Nearly one-third of Polish automotive companies are considering diversifying production into other industries as weaker orders pressure Europe’s car sector, according to the EuroMotoBarometr 2026 survey by Exact x Forestall. In Poland, 31% of companies are considering diversification, compared with 35% across Europe. Among Polish respondents considering the move, 51% identified the defense industry as a new market.

Across Europe, defense was the leading diversification target, selected by 39% of companies considering expansion beyond automotive, followed by household appliances at 22% and aviation at 21%. Polish producers also reported weak production expectations: 28% expect output to decline over the next 12 months, compared with 20% across Europe. The survey covered 1,013 automotive companies in 11 countries. Exact x Forestall said manufacturers can transfer machinery, engineering, quality-control expertise and skilled employees into defense production as companies seek to use spare capacity.

Source: isbiznes.pl